


Of Expectations and Reality

by naomi24



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Japan, M/M, Sakura (Cherry Blossoms), Unrequited Crush, girl Yi Fan, noob Jongin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 17:17:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8853901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naomi24/pseuds/naomi24
Summary: Chanyeol feels lonely in Japan, forever dreaming about his first love.





	

**Author's Note:**

> There was multiple versions for this prompts before I was able to choose this path for the storyline. This story was written under two days, mostly due to procrastination, and there’s a certain pressure on making sure that the readers can experience Japan along with chankai. A lot of the moments/scenes I’ve written are based on my personal experiences. Furthermore, please listen to Peter Pan so you can understand Chanyeol’s longingness. OP, I hope you like this.

 

  
  


_ Let time fast forward. There is still another half to our story _ \-- Exo’s Peter Pan

 

Some people imagine their future before their own eyes. A degree in Engineering with high honors. Falling in love with your best friend. Getting married on a sandy beach, with only a few friends. Then maybe one day, raising children that drive you crazy. These people are daydreamers, sentimental and complete romantics, and Chanyeol is one of them.

 

It’s a curse, a blessing, and a blissful dream to be hopelessly in love. From the tiny mole that hides on the edge of Jongin’s cheek to the barely visible laughing lines under his eyes, each feature brings a fond smile to Chanyeol’s lips. Even as Jongin lays on his stomach, hair unkempt and his snores vibrating across the room, it must be a special kind of disease to love Jongin’s flaws. After all, Chanyeol doesn’t need Baekhyun or Jongin’s overprotective brothers to tell him that he’s beyond help, and that he doesn’t deserve Jongin’s affection. Chanyeol wholeheartedly agrees with them, and wishes for a better boyfriend for Jongin, possibly someone who doesn’t trail after him like a lost puppy as Kyungsoo bluntly tells him. 

 

It’s not  _ his _ fault that the scent of vanilla from Jongin’s hair entices him like no other, or that Jongin’s irresistible soft skin is something he’d never get bored of touching. It’s completely normal to always want to be near the younger whenever Jongin pouts, or to immediately console him as the days get rougher. 

 

_ “No it’s not, you idiot,” Kyungsoo would tell him hours later, but Chanyeol doesn’t need to listen to that dwarf. Unfortunately, his arm receives a great deal of pain for thinking that. _

 

Then again, no one expected themselves to fall in love with their best friend when they were young. If Chanyeol had to pick a moment when it happened, the clearest memory was when they were ten and they were nothing but boys with curious minds.

  
  
  


_ “What is that?” Jongin asks him on a clear Tuesday afternoon. School had just ended and they are still in school, grabbing stuff out of their lockers and shoving it into their bags. _

 

_ Chanyeol doesn’t know why he didn’t lie to Jongin when he had lied to everyone else who had asked. No one really understands why Chanyeol does the things he does, from the superstitious bunny keychain to avoiding the cracks in the streets. Yet, Jongin seems to be the only one who doesn’t question Chanyeol’s decisions when the elder does something out of the ordinary. _

 

_ “It’s a time capsule,” Chanyeol whispers to him, as if the secret should only be shared between the two. _

 

_ “Oh,” Jongin notes before licking his lips in curiousity. His eyes zoom into the cylinder can, along with the plastic cover on top of it. He doesn’t know what’s in it yet, but he’s more curious on  _ why _ it’s called  _ Time Capsule _. _

 

_ “Do you want to come and send it off to the future with me?” the elder asks with a hint of shyness, as if he’s also insecure about this idea. He shouldn’t be, not when he’s already determined to send this time capsule to the future. _

 

_ “Yeah!” Jongin says with enough excitement that Chanyeol smiles back at his goofy grin. _

 

_ They soon head towards a nearby park that’s unsurprisingly full of students. Chanyeol doesn’t seem to notice the curious stares, and neither did Jongin as they walk towards a secluded area where bushes and trees surround them. It’s still noisy enough that the other kids won’t hear what they’re planning. Chanyeol sets the metal can into the ground, and takes out a small digging shovel from his bag. _

 

_ “What are we digging for? Treasures?” Jongin asks curiously. _

 

_ “No, we’re going to make a hole and send the capsule to the future,” Chanyeol explains excitedly. _

 

_ “Like magic?” _

 

_ This time Chanyeol laughs at the silliness of the word, and smiles reassuringly to Jongin’s scowl. _

 

_ “No, we’re just going to bury it. Then, when we’re  _ really _ old, we’ll dig it out and we can remember the past again,” the elder explains as if it’s the greatest idea he’s ever heard. _

 

_ “Oh,” Jongin says with a hint of disappointment. “But what if we don’t remember years from now?” _

 

_ “I wrote it in my palm, and then I’m going to put a note in my desk so I’ll remember to open it years later.” _

 

_ Jongin looks at the elder’s palm and the scribbled words, and he realizes that he doesn’t have his own reminder nor his own time capsule. _

 

_ “What’s wrong?” Chanyeol asks worriedly at his friend’s frown. _

 

_ “What about  _ my _ reminder? I don’t have a capsule either,” the younger admits shyly. _

 

_ The elder takes Jongin’s hand gently and the younger looks up to Chanyeol’s warm gaze. The elder’s hold on his wrist is strong, yet tender and Jongin barely notices the pen until he feels the tip grazing across his palm. He stares intently as Chanyeol writes the word  _ Time Capsule _ and feels the warm blow of air as the elder makes sure the ink is dry. Jongin smiles at the words and gazes back up at Chanyeol’s large eyes, unnoticing of the gentle expression. _

 

_ “Now you have your own reminder,” the elder notes. “And you can add something that belongs to you into the metal can. See, I made enough space so you can add a few small items,” the elder shows the half empty can when he opens the lid. _

 

_ Jongin notes the lucky rabbit foot, an old test that Chanyeol got an amazing grade on, and a few other things that he doesn’t understand of their significance. He’s still confused though on what kind of things he should put inside of it. Every object seems to be something Chanyeol can buy again in the future, so how will it remind Chanyeol of the past? Despite that feeling, Jongin still wants to know which item he should put inside. _

 

_ “I still don’t know what to put inside,” the younger admits. “How did you decide?” _

 

_ “Oh, it’s easy! See this rabbit keychain?” the elder points to it. “I put it in because that was the first thing I was able to buy with my own money. I want my future self to remember how much I loved this keychain more than the things my parents bought.” _

 

_ Hearing Chanyeol’s explanation makes sense in Jongin’s opinion. The younger  _ finally  _ knows what to put into the metal can and he immediately grabs his school bag to look for the item. _

 

_ As he’s about to put his special item into it, Chanyeol grabs his wrist and sends him a worried look as if the younger is doing something wrong. _

 

_ “Are you sure? You can’t take it back until years later,” the elder tells him. _

 

_ “Of course,” the younger smiles warmly back at him. “There’s nothing else I’d want to remember.” _

 

_ The elder blushes at the words and refuses to look back at his friend. As they place the time capsule into the hole, Jongin wonders when they’ll be able to dig it up again. He gazes back at the elder, finally noticing on how the elder has been staring at him for quite a while. _

 

_ “What?” the younger asks nervously. _

 

_ “Nothing,” Chanyeol says quickly. “I was just thinking about something.” _

 

_ “About what?” the younger asks curiously. _

 

_ “Just, you know,” the elder says lamely, which causes Jongin to wonder even more as he cocks his head to the side. Chanyeol looks to the ground as he mumbles the next few words. “It’s just I didn’t expect you to like the time capsule as much. I thought you’d say it’s lame.” _

 

_ “Oh,” the younger comments. “Well, it’s still lame…” _

 

_ Jongin laughs at Chanyeol’s dejected expression and the frown that follows. _

 

_ “But it’s still cooler than your previous idea that I’m only compatible with Virgo, Scorpio and Taurus people,” the younger notes with distates. _

 

_ “But it’s true!” the elder says passionately. “Elle magazine says so, and Elle  _ never  _ lies.” _

 

_ “It’s a stupid magazine…” _

 

_ The disbelief gasp and the frown in the elder’s lips cause Jongin to laugh loudly at the sight. _

  
  
  


Despite their disagreements along with other arguments, their friendship stays strong throughout the years. Neither was able to foresee the strong bond lasting until college, but it did last that long, even when they end up choosing different degrees. They end up parting ways when university begins and Jongin finds comfort in new friends, while Chanyeol never really moved on.

  
  


***

 

**April 2016**

 

In early April, Chanyeol arrives in Nagoya with two heavy luggages and his laptop bag. Nagoya Chubu Airport is the final destination as he exits from the domestic terminal. He was in transit in Tokyo Narita Airport momentarily for five hours before the two hours flight to Nagoya. Japan is definitely a different feeling than what he’s used to in Canada. The air humidity is a big contrast to Canada’s chilly and dry air. The long coat he wears is no longer necessary as it hangs on his arm, and the double layer of clothes is replaced with a single buttoned up shirt.

 

From the moment he arrives, he is introduced to Yuki, a lady that is assigned to help him transition smoothly in Nagoya. He follows her around for the next two days as she helps him get a resident card and tells him a few things about Nagoya’s lifestyle.

 

Japan isn’t as he expected it’d be. From the rumors of updated technologies to bullet trains, Chanyeol thought he’d see a modernized environment. Maybe there would be moving walkways in the streets, or even mirror covered buildings as high as the sky. However, Japan is  _ nothing _ like that. It’s almost like the environment was taken  _ out _ from a Doraemon’s comic book and pasted into real world. From the narrow streets to the trains running above ground, Japan never got rid of its ancestral feel.

 

Chanyeol can clearly see the same archaic image in every neighborhood whenever he rides the Meitetsu Seto train. The neighborhoods seem to be stuck in the year of 1950’s, possibly the same year the houses were built, and it seems that the government never felt the need to upgrade the image as the years passed by. Sometimes, he wonders if it’s just Nagoya that has this image or if every other city in Japan has this feeling, too. Other times, he  _ loves _ being able to appreciate Japan’s cultured environment, where the people always appreciate the past. 

 

In the downtown of Montreal, where Chanyeol used to live in Canada, he’s used to the tall buildings and the multiple cars that cause endless traffic during rush hours. He’s used to the buses that sometimes arrived late, the French words that are written in public signs, and even the countless Tim Hortons, McDonalds, or  _ any other _ fast food restaurants that infested the corners of a main road. He’s used to hearing the countless English words that are uttered by people as he passed them in the streets.

 

Meanwhile, Nagoya is more quiet. It reminds him of Ottawa, the capital of Canada, where the streets are less busy and the neighbourhoods have more houses than restaurants. Japanese letters are written on every sign, and sometimes he’d see an occasional English word  _ just _ so restaurants can attract foreigners. It’s overwhelming for those first few days, where he feels like he’s a complete failure since he inevitably uses English to communicate. He  _ wishes _ he can become a pro in Japanese language in a short time, but even memorizing the letters of Hiragana takes time for him.

 

Nevertheless, Chanyeol always finds positivity in life. He falls in love with the different flavors of Japanese food that he encounters. Everything is new and different, and he gets caught up in, what people would say, _the honeymoon_ _stage_. His friends back in Canada would probably tease him for being such an easy person to please, and Chanyeol is glad he doesn’t have to hear their taunts. 

 

The first weekend after he arrived, Chanyeol heads to Yamazakigawa riverside, where tourists have said it’s the perfect place to see cherry blossoms. The flowers are already in full bloom and some have fallen off the trees as Chanyeol walks through the endless lines of trees. Japanese couples seem to surround him and a few foreigners catch his eye, but he’s still concentrating on the beauty of the flowers. He unconsciously thinks about tulips, because while Japan is proud of cherry blossoms, Canada is proud of their tulip festival. Both flowers are incomparable in terms of beauty, and it’s an amazing feeling to be able to experience both events.

 

He stops at one point to rest, and he stands close to the edge of the river, wanting to see the water flow. He can hear the rustle of the wind followed by cherry blossoms flying towards him. He reaches out and catches a petal, holding it gently in his palm. He stares at it for a while before he recalls something he read once.

 

_ “Catch three flower petals falling from a cherry blossom tree and your wish of love will come true.” _

 

People have told him that he’s too much of a believer, and they’re right, he’s too gullible. He doesn’t care though, as he thinks about his first love. Even after years of no communication, the bright young man is still in his thoughts and Chanyeol doubts that Jongin still thinks of him. Yet, he catches two more petals and childishly hopes for a better future that will contain the younger.

 

_ I hope you’ll love me someday _ \-- he says in his mind as he thinks about Jongin’s shy smiles and exorbitant energy. He opens his palm and blows the petals away, and longingly thinks about the past.

  
  


***

 

**March 2016**

 

The winter is harsh in Jongin’s opinion. The extreme low temperature, almost descending towards -35 degrees, and the cruel early classes that was testing his motivation. He just wanted to sleep in and do his classes from the warmth of his bed. Why couldn't online classes be an option for an engineer? It seems the world disagrees with his views; after all, there are two projects, four assignments and an oral presentation that are pressing down against his nerves. However, he's used to this, the life of an engineering student. If he's not feeling completely screwed as exams near, then he must be forgetting something important.

 

Nevertheless, whenever the end of March nears, Jongin feels a little happier as winter finally comes closer to an end.

 

Though, some, disagree with him.

 

“Winter doesn't end in March. Not in this tundra land,” Sehun comments with a roll of eyes. “Try June.”

 

“I think April ish,” Moonkyu tries to correct.

 

“Shhh, the engineers are talking,” Sehun rudely tells him. “My point  _ is _ that you're always wrong at estimating,” he tells Jongin.

 

“Hey, I got the answer right on the last question of our 361 midterm,” Jongin pouts defending himself.

 

“Oh, wow, bravo,” Sehun mockingly claps.

 

Jongin frowns at the gesture, wondering why he chose such an annoying person as his best friend, when there are better choices in this world.

 

“As if I like being your best friend,” Sehun tells him, always being able to read his thoughts, without looking back at him. He’s still busy finishing off an assignment while he’s on his break.

 

The assignment is due in a few hours, so they can’t be as distracted. Jongin, as usual, finishes his work on time, which means his friends will copy off him, as expected. Even when he’s annoyed at Sehun, he’s not heartless enough to let his friend fail.

 

He’s also kind enough to soothe Moonkyu’s displeasures as Jongin’s classmates tend to ignore the struggles of a business major. 

 

As he leans against Moonkyu’s side, his eyes travel across the hallways and notes the abundant of students during lunch hours. It’s getting packed as some line up for the microwaves, and others are lining up for the cafeteria. He smiles at familiar faces and waves at them as they pass by. He thinks he’ll feel nostalgic by the end of the semester when he finally graduates. He’s still excited for that day, but for now, there’s a sense of sadness as he says goodbye to the friends he has met. He thinks about losing Sehun one day as a friend or even Moonkyu, and he sighs loudly at that thought. 

 

“What's wrong?” Moonkyu asks him, startling him at his thoughts.

 

“Huh?” Jongin looks back at his friend, noticing his worried expression. “It's nothing. I was just thinking about when we graduate and we probably won't see each other as much anymore.”

 

Moonkyu wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close.

 

“Always the worrier,” he teases.

 

“You should worry about that mole on your cheek, instead. You should get it removed,” Sehun says with false sincerity.

 

Jongin ignores Sehun’s comment, already used to the younger’s insensitivity.

 

“Well, it's not like we're going to stay friends forever,” Jongin tells them. “You said you want to move out west after graduation,” he looks towards Sehun. “And you don't even want to stay in Montreal,” this time to Moonkyu.

 

“Yeah, but even if we're too busy for each other, I'm sure we won't forget that we were once good friends,” Moonkyu reassures his friend.

 

“It's not like I'll find anyone else who’s a sucker for my stories,” Sehun notes.

 

Jongin frowns at his words as Moonkyu laughs at the truth. It's not  _ his _ fault that he was born with too much gullibility. 

 

Even with his friends teasing him, Jongin thinks about the endless possibilities, this time with less fears. After all, his friends are right. There is still time before they move on with their own lives.

  
  


***

 

**June 2016**

 

The first meal Chanyeol tried in Japan was a type of ramen, or at least he  _ believed  _ it was ramen. The broth looked translucent and when he mixed the bottom spices, it became too opaque to notice what was inside the bowl. At first taste, he noticed that it wasn't as great as he expected. It was saltier than he'd imagine. Most of all, the noodles were different than the noodles he has tried in the past, much more chewy than pho noodles or even Chinese noodles. Despite that, he was determined to convert his taste buds.

 

Now, a month after his arrival, he’s walking aimlessly in downtown Nagoya. The area near Nagoya station isn't the same as the areas near his apartment. Sure, there are still bicycles everywhere, and there is always people walking in the area, but the atmosphere is also less archaic. Tall buildings surround the station, and the underground tunnels are more sophisticated than most. Chanyeol likes to explore these tunnels, starting from Sunroad Mall until he reaches UniMall or even JP Tower. True to his architect self, he maps out the pathways in his tiny notebook and puts reference on which exit is closer to which area.

 

Though if someone asked Chanyeol about his favorite place, he’d say it’s located near the Marriott Hotel, secluded from street view. There stands a water fountain where people can sit on the edge of the fountain and enjoy a few minutes of tranquility before heading out again on their journey. Chanyeol accidentally finds it when he was too busy following Google Maps, and doesn't notice that the store is actually underground. Once he realizes his mistake, he can't help but feel extremely silly, and also glad that no one is around to laugh at him.

 

As he sits in the edge, the background sound of trickling water soothes his irritation and his thoughts are brought back to the past. There's a memory that he likes to replay in his mind whenever Jongin comes to mind. 

  
  


_ Chanyeol doesn't know where the nickname comes from. He didn't even  _ want _ this nickname during his high school years, but for some reason, the girls have labeled him as a heartbreaker. He doesn't even  _ remember _ when was the last time he broke someone's heart, but apparently he's been doing it unconsciously according to these girls. _

 

_ He frowns deeply once he hears a group of girls sigh forlornly when he passes by. He wishes he knew what he was doing to give them false hope. _

 

_ “For god’s sake, it’s not like you're  _ that _ handsome,” Kyungsoo mutters to himself when he notices Chanyeol’s frown. _

 

_ They're currently in the library working on an English project. Chanyeol is drawing the silly characters they need for their project and Kyungsoo is researching about greek mythology. _

 

_ “Jealous?” Baekhyun, another classmate of theirs, asks with a smirk. _

 

_ “Like I'd fall in love with his clumsy hands and gigantic feet.” _

 

_ “It's only size 10,” Chanyeol frowns, defending himself. “It’s not that bad.” _

 

_ “Please, we all know you like tall things that can manhandle you into the table,” Baekhyun reminds the younger. _

 

_ Kyungsoo doesn't seem to find it funny as he kicks Baekhyun in the shin, completely ignoring how Chanyeol is still offended by this conversation. _

 

_ Chanyeol doesn't know why it bothers him so much, that Kyungsoo doesn't see him in a romantic way. He doesn't even  _ like _ the younger that way. Yet, it makes him wonder if he’s only attractive to girls, and  _ not _ boys. Perhaps that’s why Jongin will never see him as something more than friends. Maybe he’s just doomed to be the best friend and  _ never _ the boyfriend. _

 

_ He’s too preoccupied by these thoughts that he doesn’t notice the sudden movement besides him. He only notices it when Jongin waves a hand in his vision. _

 

_ “Hi?” Jongin greets him with a hint of amusement. _

 

_ “Oh, hi,” Chanyeol replies back, slowly coming out of his depressed trance. _

 

_ “What’s wrong?” the younger asks worriedly, noticing the displeased smile. _

 

_ “Nothing,” the elder immediately says. _

 

_ Jongin frowns at that reply, always knowing when something is off about the elder. _

 

_ “He’s just upset because Kyungsoo won’t kiss him,” Baekhyun unhelpfully tells him. _

 

_ The shocked look in Jongin’s face causes Chanyeol to stutter in his reply. The elder can’t seem to get the right words out as he ends up muttering an incoherent sentence. Neither boys seem to notice that Kyungsoo is chasing Baekhyun out of the library. _

 

_ “Oh, so you like Kyungsoo?” Jongin finally comments. Chanyeol thinks there was some spite in the younger’s tone, or maybe he’s just being hopeful. _

 

_ “No!” the elder immediately denies. “He’s just being an ass,” he says with too much malice. _

 

_ “Oh,” the younger says lamely. _

 

_ There’s a tense moment between them as Chanyeol looks away and tries to focus on his half drawn characters. Jongin doesn’t look back either, as he takes out his books. _

 

_ “Do you like someone though?” the younger finally asks unsurely. _

 

_ Chanyeol ignores the  _ Yes _ panging inside his heart and shakes his head. He can feel Jongin’s intense gaze at him, as if the younger can sense his lie. So he licks his lips in uncertainty before attempting to distract Jongin from the truth. _

 

_ “I guess I’m just annoyed that I’m ‘apparently’ breaking girls’ hearts everywhere. I don’t even know how I’m giving them false hope,” the elder says irritatedly. _

 

_ “Oh, that,” the younger chuckles to himself. “Well, maybe if you actually  _ date _ a guy than just  _ claim _ you like guys,” he teases. _

 

_ “I can’t just lead someone on like that,” Chanyeol tells him rather shyly. _

 

_ “It can be a fake relationship,” the younger exclaims. “My brother did that with a friend and managed to get his crush jealous.” _

 

_ Chanyeol stares at his friend speechlessly before shaking his head with a small smile. _

 

_ “I think your brothers are bad influences,” the elder notes with amusement. _

 

_ “You wouldn’t think so if you tried,” the younger tells him. “Plus I  _ know  _ you’re lying about your crush. Why won’t you tell your best friend the truth?” he asks with a flair of exaggeration. _

 

_ “Why can’t I keep one secret to myself? It’s not like you tell me everything,” Chanyeol defends himself. _

 

_ “I do! I even told you the time I embarrassed myself in front of Minseok’s hot friend. No one knows that story,” the younger reasons with the right amount of whining. _

 

_ Jongin takes his friend’s hand and squeezes it gently as he gazes into the elder’s eyes. There’s so much emotions behind Jongin’s gaze that Chanyeol begins to wonder if Jongin can see the truth. Maybe the younger already knows how much Chanyeol is in love with him. _

 

_ “Should we spit on it?” the younger says it so seriously, as if the tradition is extremely important. _

 

_ In the past, they’ve always spit on their hands and shake on it whenever the secret is extremely embarrassing or surprising. Though they continue the tradition later on in high school, they’ve barely used it at the age of sixteen. _

 

_ The elder laughs at Jongin’s expression before playfully tug his hand away from the younger, but Jongin grabs it back to his side. _

 

_ “I’m serious,” the younger pouts visibly. _

 

_ “I know, give me back my hand,” the elder teases. _

 

_ “Tell me,” Jongin has now resort to whining loudly in public.  _

 

_ Chanyeol laughs nervously and looks down at the table, unsure of how much he should say to satiate his friend’s curiosity. Jongin doesn’t seem to want to give up on the idea of knowing the identity of his crush, yet Chanyeol isn’t ready to confess to his crush yet. _

 

_ As they stare against each other, neither are unwilling to give up their stance. It’s the loud slam of books nearby them that brings them out of their trance. _

 

_ Chanyeol looks to the side and notices Kyungsoo’s raised eyebrow, as if he’s telling Chanyeol a secret message with his gaze. Chanyeol decides to take his hand away from Jongin’s palm and the younger doesn’t protest to his action. _

  
  


That was the only time Chanyeol comes  _ that  _ close to admitting his feelings, despite the amount of times he was alone with Jongin in the past. Sometimes, he wonders  what would have happened if he did admit his feelings to the younger during high school or even college. He thinks Jongin wouldn’t stop being his friend, even if there would be awkward moments.

 

Though, it wouldn’t matter now, not when they haven’t talked in years. Baekhyun, the only friend he has kept in touch with since then, would vehemently agree with his conscience. 

 

The small vibration in his pocket reminds him of his neglected conversation with his friend. He smiles at the silly rant that Baekhyun have sent before replying to it. Their conversation serves as a distraction to the cold breeze that passes by as he presses the submit button. 

 

He looks up ahead and sees a couple sitting a few feet before him. The boy stands a few feet in front of the girl, and there’s a shy reaction before his hand brushes against the girl’s hand. Though he does not take the girl’s hand, Chanyeol can see that the boy wants to make that move. The elder starts to question in his mind on the conservativity of Japanese couples. They all seem to be afraid to do more than hold hands in public, despite being alright with intercourse before marriage.

 

He starts thinking about finding his own love one day and the possibility of living in Japan for longer than a year. Would he find someone that he’d love more than Jongin? The question seems to catch him at a standstill as he thinks about a future without seeing Jongin’s smiles. He thinks he’s not ready yet, not when Jongin still fills his dreams.

  
  


***

 

**July 2016**

  
  


**Moonkyu**

Oh God, I feel so nervous

It’s like I can foresee Jongin getting lost as soon as he exits the terminal

 

**Taemin**

Don’t forget that the Woman toilet is usually labeled with a person wearing a skirt.

 

**Sehun**

Lol

Even in Japanese, homo is just homo.

 

**Taemin**

You should definitely memorize this sentence though.

‘Oshiri kashite?’

It means ‘can you help me?’

 

**Moonkyu**

But seriously, no more rilakkumas. I don’t care if they made a special edition with Zoro’s face plastered into the doll.

  
  


Jongin frowns as he reads the messages from his so-called friends on his phone. He doesn’t know why he keeps in touch with these people when they’re  _ obviously _ horrible friends. Even  _ if _ Sehun is watching Monggu for free. 

 

He sighs deeply as he sits in the waiting area of Narita airport. He didn’t really want to come on this vacation, but his parents had insisted on it as a graduation present. Plus, he has always wondered what Japan is like and he can't wait to explore Tokyo to the fullest.

 

He researched days before the trip on the cheapest way to travel from Narita airport to the heart of Tokyo. It turns out there is a bus that offers a rather cheap fee of 1000 yen for a one way trip into the city. He manages to find the bus stop with his limited knowledge of Japanese, and pays the fee in cash with the right currency. He's glad he manages to exchange some Canadian dollars into yen earlier.

 

As he sits in the bus and stares out of the window, he's looking at the first sight of Japan highway and it doesn't look as different as it would be in Canada. The only thing that was different was the tollway booth that the bus passes by moments later. He stares at it curiously when the bus  passes it without paying the fee. He wonders if this bus company pay to the toll booths ahead or they're just exception to the rules.

 

The bus ends up stopping near Tokyo Station, conveniently located near the busy downtown. The area is full of businessmen and Jongin immediately notices that they're all wearing similar clothing styles. It's always white button down shirt with formal pants, and some also wear suit and tie. It seems Japanese workers doesn't stray far from the color white. It's so different than what Canadians would wear, where colors are not an issue.

 

The next shocking thing to him is the amount of time people spend to bow to each other. He stares gapingly at a group of coworkers who are bowing for the longest time to their boss. He thinks he's probably being rude for staring at them for too long, but how do Japanese people do these things without irritating their backs?

 

He finally looks away when he feels his hunger to begin to bother his thoughts. He walks towards the inside of Tokyo Station, and the amount of people inside startle him. They're all either heading towards the JR lines or towards another direction. Everyone is eagerly heading home without caring about the people beside them. Even the escalators are packed with people riding up or down, and it amazes Jongin that many Japanese depend on public transport. He's used to people in Canada depending on cars and the traffic that happens from it. Meanwhile, in here, they seem to prefer public transport a lot more. He thinks it makes sense, since the buses or trains are never late, unlike Canada’s horrible bus schedules. He could count the amount of times he waited in the freezing cold when a bus decided not to show up.

 

_ Lucky bastards _ \-- Jongin begins to think.

 

He opens his Google Maps and search for the easiest place to eat from. Instead of having 10 different choices to choose from, Jongin resorts to McDonald for his first meal. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he can hear Sehun’s cackling and Moonkyu’s disappointed sigh if they knew. He decides to keep this meal a secret from his friends.

 

As he stands in line, he wonders if the waitress will understand him. What if he can't communicate well and he ends up picking the wrong order? What if they end up giving him  _ fish _ burger instead of the chicken burger he wanted?! Jongin blanches at that thought as he steps closer to the front, only one more person in front of him. He licks his lips nervously and taps his finger against his jeans.

 

Once he's next, he's walking cautiously to the front, as if he’s scared someone will shoot him for being a foreigner.

 

The girl in front of him speaks in fast Japanese and Jongin momentarily gapes at her. It takes him a full minute before he realizes that she's still waiting for his order. He stutters in his speech, causing the girl to look at him confusedly.

 

“Chicken?” He ends up asking weakly.

 

There's recognition in her face before she scrambles to the counter behind her. He thinks she's preparing for his meal and he’s already sighing in relief, but instead, she hands him another menu and points on it.

 

He looks at the menu and sighs heavily in relief as he recognizes the English letters.

 

“Oh, thank God,” he mutters before he immediately points to the chicken burger.

 

He smiles weakly at the girl’s happy expression as she punches in the order. Then she asks back to him in broken English.

 

“Drink? Choose…” she points to the multiple drinks, from coca cola icon to orange fanta icon. 

 

Jongin stares at it confusedly for a moment before an icon catches his eyes.

 

_ Oh my God. Is that green fanta?! _

 

Jongin points at it  _ so _ fast that he thinks he may have trembled a little.

 

Then he has to choose between different side dishes: fries, small salad, corn, soup, etc. He thinks he should watch his figure and pick something less grease, but then again, he's not seeing anyone, so he points to the fries and smiles to the girl as she finishes the order. 

 

The amount is surprisingly cheaper than he'd imagine, 650 yen, but he still haven't memorized which coins to use yet. So he dumps the money into the leather tray, where money should be placed. He smiles innocently at the girl as she counts for him and she hands him back the rest of the money.

 

He waits in front of the cashier as they create his meal. It doesn't take long as he's being signaled a few minutes after. He takes his time eating his meal with Japanese people sitting near him. He almost sighs happily at the awesome taste of green fanta. Luckily, they don't stare at him with weird looks.

 

After he finished his dinner, he has to wait another hour for his parents to show up, so he spends the hour staring at people and staring at the train map, where the stops are labeled in kanji. He doesn't notice on how fast the time passes by before he finds himself being called by his parents. 

 

After a short emotional greeting from mostly his mom, they bring him to their place, located close to Shinjuku station. Jongin immediately crashes on the couch, too exhausted to think about anything else.

  
  


***

  
  


The next day, with a mobile wifi in his backpack, Jongin walks around Shinjuku area by himself. His mom tries to set him up with a random girl in case he needs any help, but Jongin is smart enough to know that she's doing matchmaking again. Therefore, he declines it, claiming that he needs the independence.

 

It's early enough that people are still in transit to their work so Jongin spends the time staring at their habits. He wonders if they get fired if they're even a minute late or is it as lax as in Canada. As he looks around the streets, he notices a nearby Starbucks and decides to see if they're any different than the ones in Canada.

 

He's immediately greeted by a waitress who hands him a menu. She smiles warmly at him as Jongin takes it. He sighs internally in relief once he sees there are English letters in the menu. As he looks through the choices, he wonders which drinks he should try first. Though he's normally not a big fan of matcha, he ultimately decides he should try a green tea drink while in Japan.

 

As he points to the menu while standing in front of the cashier, he's relieved that he can ignore the cashier’s rambling as he pays. He's then signaled to wait off to the side and he watches the barista work from the side counter. It doesn't take more than a minute before he's given his drink by a pretty girl and he smiles gratefully. As he lifts up his drink, he notices something is written on the side. He lifts the cup higher and immediately blushes at the sight of the writing.

 

_ GF :) _

 

Jongin never knew Japanese women were  _ this  _ bold. How is he supposed to reject them gently without breaking their hearts?!

 

He approaches the side counter with caution and proceeds to mutter  _ Um _ . The girl looks at him confusedly with a smile. He doesn't know what he should say. Should he just say it bluntly or gently? It seems his mind has made up the decision for him.

 

“I'm gay,” he says rather quickly, causing the people besides him, including the girl to look at him weirdly.

 

It's the familiar sound of cackling in the background that causes Jongin to blush heavily, and run away from the store. He exits without remembering to grab some napkins beforehand, and his hand is  _ freezing _ as he holds on to his cold matcha green tea.

 

“Oh my God, that was the  _ best _ thing I've heard since all week,” the familiar voice greets him outside, along with several cackling.

 

“Leave me alone,” Jongin weakly tells him as he turn around to face him.

 

He stares at the familiar sight of Baekhyun Byun, despite looking older than the last he has seen the elder. 

 

“Aw, still a cutie,” Baekhyun reaches to pinch his cheek and Jongin swats his hand away.

 

“Why are you even here?” the younger pouts. “Are you stalking me?”

 

Jongin wouldn't be surprised if Baekhyun is keeping tabs on everyone who graduated from their high school.

 

“I live here,” Baekhyun tells him nonchalantly despite the evil smile.

 

Jongin frowns before wiping his cold hand against his jean and holds the cup in the other hand.

 

“Since when?” the younger asks curiously.

 

“Hmm,” Baekhyun pretends to ponder. “A few months, I guess,” the elder says as if it's not a big deal.

 

“How come I didn't know?” the younger frowns more deeply.

 

“I didn't exactly tell  _ everyone _ to be honest. Only a few who asked me would find out,” the elder admits.

 

“Oh,” Jongin says lamely despite feeling guilty. He knows he's not the only who lost touch with Baekhyun, but it doesn't make him feel better knowing that he didn't try harder with the elder.

 

“Aw, don't cry,” Baekhyun mockingly consoles him.

 

“I’m wasn't!” Jongin defends and crosses his arms. “I just regret for not keeping in touch with you.”

 

“Don't be!” The elder says cheerfully. “You could  _ never  _ break my heart,” he teases.

 

Jongin scowls before sipping his cold green tea. Despite the initial weird taste, he seems to not mind the overall taste.

 

_ Not bad… _

 

As the two friends stare at each other, Jongin feels the need to explain the previous situation.

 

“About before, I thought she was hitting on me. Obviously, I was mistaken,” the younger mutters.

 

“Who'd have thought Jongin would get so cocky in the future?” the elder smirks.

 

“I'm not! It's just, she wrote this…” the younger shows his cup. “So I thought…”

 

Jongin doesn't want to see Baekhyun laugh so loudly that people stare at them weirdly, but the elder seems to be enjoying his misery.

 

“Stop it,” he ends up whining.

 

“I have  _ got _ to tell Chanyeol,” Baekhyun ends up wheezing out before taking out his phone. He starts typing, possibly a dramatized rendition of the story.

 

Jongin freezes at the familiar name, unsure of what to say about his former best friend. It's been so long since he has thought of Chanyeol or even heard his name. He wonders why Chanyeol picked Baekhyun as his newest best friend rather than Kyungsoo or anyone else. He knows it's not his business, but Baekhyun wasn't exactly Chanyeol’s close friend in the past.

 

“You still talk to him?” the younger finally asks.

 

“Of course,” Baekhyun says without looking up. “Who else will look after his miserable ass when you left?”

 

“I didn't leave! I just went to a different school…” the younger tries to defend himself.

 

“I know,” the elder says with a smirk.

 

“He's mad at me then?” Jongin asks unsurely.

 

“No, he's just forever Chanyeol,” the elder shrugs in the end.

 

“Oh,” the younger says before smiling a little.

 

There's never a word to describe Chanyeol even when they were best friends. Chanyeol is too unique to have a label.

 

“Anyway, you know what it means right? That label,” Baekhyun asks the younger.

 

“Um, it was a joke?”

 

Baekhyun stares at him seriously, even though his cheeks seem to redden as if he's withholding his laughter. 

 

“Wow, Chanyeol wasn't kidding when he said he was worried about you surviving in the real world.”

 

“Hey! I've made it this far. If you must know, I've graduated from school too!”

 

“Wow, bravo! So what does the label on the cup mean?” Baekhyun asks mockingly.

 

“It's...” Jongin starts to say lamely before forcing his brain to think of a solution. Suddenly, he realizes of something. “It’s probably Grande something,” he concludes proudly.

 

Baekhyun smirks as he smugly remains silent. His stare unnerves Jongin’s anxious feeling and Baekhyun hums nonchalantly as if he's not giving any hint of the truth.

 

“I hate you,” Jongin tells him in the end before walking away from the elder. He completely gives up on figuring it out. Maybe he'll Google it later when Baekhyun isn't looking.

 

Unfortunately, Baekhyun doesn't seem to want to let go of his new entertainment as he follows the younger behind him.

 

“So, what's your plan today?” the elder asks.

 

“I don't know, maybe just look around Shinjuku,” the younger admits.

 

“Boring, let's do something else,” he wraps an arm around Jongin and pulls him into another direction.

 

“I don't trust you,” the younger tells him even as he follows Baekhyun towards another street.

 

“That's fine. I wouldn't want to get in the way between you and your future girlfriends.”

 

Baekhyun doesn't need to look backward to see Jongin’s pout or the dejected expression that seems to be permanent throughout the rest of the day.

  
  


***

  
  


Chanyeol has spent the better half of his night washing white dust off his hair. Then, when he's finally ready to make dinner, his arms decide to ache horribly and he forgoes the plan of frying some marinated salmon. Instead, he takes two eggs and scrambles them along with salt and pepper. Kyungsoo is probably sighing in disappointment somewhere in Canada. 

 

He sits cross-legged in the tiny kotatsu chair as he scrolls through the messages he receives from various friends. Most are spams from group chats, but there is always a few from Baekhyun.

  
  


**Baekhyun Byun**

You're free, right? In Obon week?

 

**Chanyeol Park**

Maybe.

 

**Baekhyun Byun**

I'll take that as a yes. Come over. We can waste a day looking for your stupid gundam toys.

 

**Chanyeol Park**

-.-

Adults collect these models too.

 

**Baekhyun Byun**

And they're as lonely as you are.

Bring an extra pillow.

 

**Chanyeol Park**

I'll bring Jessica just to spite you.

 

**Baekhyun Byun**

말도 안 돼 말도 안 돼

  
  


Chanyeol laughs at his friend’s reaction before closing the chat. He's too tired to hold a long conversation tonight. Instead, he heads for bed early and drags his feet towards his unmade bed.

 

He cuddles close to his fluffy Rilakkuma and pats the doll’s head.

 

“Good night Nini,” he mutters to his Rilakkuma before falling asleep.

  
  


***

  
  


**August 2016**

 

Baekhyun laughs at the sight of the pillow wedged between Chanyeol's arm and body. When Chanyeol first bought it, it was merely to spite Baekhyun by claiming that Jessica is the best member of SNSD. Later on, Chanyeol ends up using it as his cuddling pillow and starts to follow SNSD as fanatically as his friend. If Baekhyun was able to foresee this, he would have mocked his friend publicly in social media with past conversations. Unfortunately, he didn't save those.

 

“I can't believe you brought that,” Baekhyun comments at first greeting.

 

“I got used to her charming smile, and now she's my sleeping buddy,” Chanyeol admits.

 

“Sometimes I question your sexuality,” Baekhyun sighs forlornly.

 

“And sometimes I question your sanity,” the taller shoots back.

 

Baekhyun simply wiggles his eyebrows before taking the pillow. He sniffs cautiously at it and arches an eyebrow at the smell of fabric softener.

 

“Did you  _ just _ wash this? Did you have fun last night?” he smirks.

 

“That's disgusting. I had to wash it since I'm obviously not using your questionable pillows.”

 

Baekhyun doesn't reply to that, simply smiling evilly at the thought of someone innocent using his pillow. It reminds him of the gullibility in Jongin and Baekhyun is  _ dying _ to tell Chanyeol that the younger is in Japan. For now, he'll have to contain his excitement until he's able to shove the younger into Chanyeol's arms.

 

Which reminds him, he didn't tell Chanyeol of their plans tonight.

 

“Oh yeah, I invited a friend tonight for dinner. You don't mind, right?” he asks so nonchalantly that Chanyeol doesn't suspect the intention.

 

“I guess. Is it the hot girl you met from a few days ago?”

 

“No,” Baekhyun sighs sadly at the thought of her long legs. “I wish she would come over and play with me.”

 

Chanyeol resists the urge to reply at that, knowing that Baekhyun will always have a mischievous answer ready.

 

As they head towards Baekhyun’s apartment, Chanyeol stops by in a 7-eleven to grab a cold drink. His latest obsession is this jasmine green tea, since he finds the taste less weird than Japanese tea. As he heads toward the cashier, he notices Baekhyun looking through the food section.

 

“What are you getting?” Chanyeol asks curiously as he juggles Jessica in one arm and the bottle in the other hand.

 

“Nothing,” he says with a rather innocent tone. 

 

The taller doesn't  _ want _ to know Baekhyun’s evil deed of the day, so he heads to the cashier instead. Then he waits outside as Baekhyun buys his stuff before they both head again towards the apartment.

  
  


***

 

Around 6 pm, Chanyeol follows Baekhyun as they head towards Shinjuku Station. Using Marunouchi Line, they stand inside the train as they ride towards the right station. Baekhyun seems to be addicted to a new game as the elder is immediately glued to the screen while aimlessly holding onto Chanyeol’s tall body for support. Chanyeol doesn't seem to mind, seeing as he's used to becoming everyone's pole.

 

Plus, the taller seems to be distracted by the old couple in front of him. The way the old man guides his wife to the chair was heartwarming. Chanyeol starts to remember about the time when Jongin didn't need his help. It was always a rare moment when the younger didn't need him, but Chanyeol treasures those memories well.

  
  


_ During Christmas break, they wanted to meet up for ice skating and Jongin managed to pressure everyone into coming  Chanyeol remembers watching from the sidelines as the younger skates with grace and how their friends seem to tease endlessly on how Jongin is such a show off. Chanyeol doesn’t even want to join them, content on just cheering them from the sides, but Jongin doesn't relent when he wants something, and well, Chanyeol never learned on how to say  _ No _ to the younger. So, after tying his skates tightly and latching on to the side walls, Jongin laughs at the elder’s scared expression before cautiously pulling him away from the wall. Even though Chanyeol can’t successfully skate without falling, he does manage to skate slowly for a few minutes.  _

 

_ Though their friends deem that day as a hilarious moment, Chanyeol can only see it as the best day ever. The amount of times he had to hold on to Jongin felt amazing.  _

  
  


The sudden nudge to his stomach causes Chanyeol to halt his recollection. He stares down at Baekhyun's judging stare as the elder gives him an annoyed look.

 

“Can't you look less disgustingly in love in public?” he mutters to the taller.

 

“Nope,” the younger tells him, but he stops thinking about it anyway.

 

He knows what Baekhyun is thinking every time the elder catches Chanyeol’s dazed expression. The elder has always told him to move on from the past, and Chanyeol has tried that, but he can't seem to forget the little things. He sighs forlornly as he begins to wonder if he should find closure. Maybe he should tell Jongin on how he’s always felt so he can  _ actually _ move on with his life. 

 

Another nudge in his side reminds Chanyeol that their stop is approaching.

 

As they exit the train, Chanyeol follows a rather fast Baekhyun as the elder zig zags through the wild crowd. They manage to avoid another large crowd that just exited a train as they climb upstairs.

 

When they finally exit the ticket gate, Baekhyun stops in a nearby support beam as he texts the friend they're supposed to meet. The elder ends up sighing dramatically before rolling his eyes.

 

“What?” Chanyeol asks curiously.

 

“He's such a noob,” Baekhyun sighs. “We gotta pick him up instead.”

 

“Oh, okay. Which station?”

 

“Still in Shinjuku. We just need to pass by his place.”

 

Chanyeol nods as he follows the elder towards the direction.

 

Shinjuku Station is actually quite large for someone who's used to Nagoya’s relatively small underground passages. Shinjuku Station hosts around 11 train lines meanwhile Nagoya Station merely has 7 lines. If Chanyeol has to compare between the two, Nagoya Station terminal area is about a quarter of Shinjuku Station.  _ Anyone  _ can easily get lost if they have a bad sense of direction. Luckily, Chanyeol is merely following Baekhyun, so he doesn't need to worry about getting lost yet.

 

Despite that, Chanyeol feels overwhelmed as he loses count the amount of turns they take. Somehow, they end up in an exit where Chanyeol is greeted with many people in the street. The crowd seems to be more lively than the ones in Nagoya.

 

The taller doesn't really know if they're going east or west as Baekhyun seems to lead without needing any help. When they finally stop, Chanyeol realizes that they're only stopping for the red light. He had learned weeks ago that a red hand sign means no crossing, at all. It's the opposite of how Canadians would sometimes cross recklessly in downtown.

 

It's another five minutes before Baekhyun stops in front of a familiar store name.

 

“I thought we're meeting with your friend,” Chanyeol notes.

 

“We are,” Baekhyun tells him. “He said he's here looking at clothes.”

 

Chanyeol nods as he follows the elder to the escalators.

 

As they ride the escalator to the sixth floor, Chanyeol remembers the first time he went to Uniqlo. The store’s products reminded him vaguely of H&M, but the quality seemed to be better. He spent time looking through the summer sales collection before finding the perfect cheap t-shirt. He also took the time to try out the changing rooms. Unlike in North America, he was asked to take off his shoes before he entered an individual changing room. He found it a bit weird but he ended up not minding it in the future.

 

As they arrive in sixth floor, Baekhyun leads them into the cashier section where he heads towards a guy who seems to be carrying a few clothes on his arm.

 

“Why are you buying so much?” Baekhyun asks in amusement once he approaches Jongin.

 

Chanyeol stands rooted a few feet away as he takes in the familiar face in front of him. Despite the years that passed, he thinks that Jongin is the only one that can make him anxious and happy at the same time. His heart starts to be beat excitedly as he entertains the idea of being in Jongin’s life again. Yet, he's also realizing that he'll have to return to his simple life in Nagoya and Jongin will most likely not join him. Will he be strong enough for a second heartbreak? He's suddenly too scared on answering that question.

 

“But they're so cheap,” Jongin reasons with a pout, completely unnoticing of the third person with them.

 

“You really  _ are _ a child,” Baekhyun notes in distastes as he judgingly goes through the clothes the younger picked.

 

The younger doesn't seem to notice Baekhyun's expression as his eyes glance through the store again. He wonders if he's forgetting something. As he turns to his side, he finally notices the tall figure standing a few feet away.

 

Chanyeol expected the younger to shyly come up to him or to look away as if pretending he never saw Chanyeol in the first place. He wouldn't have gotten mad if Jongin ignored him, and yet, the younger did none of those things. Instead, Jongin makes a small gasp before shoving the clothes into Baekhyun's unreluctant arms.

 

Chanyeol didn't expect Jongin to immediately hug him nor to excitedly giggle as if he missed Chanyeol  _ that _ much. He didn't know  _ what _ to do, or  _ what _ to say as Jongin wraps his arms around the taller. He can only awkwardly stand as his brain processes this moment.

 

Yet his action seems to cause Jongin to awkwardly step away and look away insecurely. Chanyeol feels the need to apologize, but he can't seem to utter the words.

 

Baekhyun takes pity on both of them as he shoves Jongin’s clothes into Chanyeol's arms.

 

“Sheesh, it's not like you guys dated,” the elder rolls his eyes before gesturing to the cashier area.

 

Jongin seems to blush at Baekhyun's words before flustering to take his clothes out of Chanyeol's arms.

 

It's only then that Chanyeol is able to wake up from his daze.

 

“No, it's fine,” Chanyeol immediately takes the clothes back into his arms before heading towards the cashier.

 

The younger can't protest anymore as he lets Chanyeol place the items in counter. He doesn't let Chanyeol have the chance to pay for it though, as he nudges the taller to the side before taking out his wallet.

 

Chanyeol walks away and licks his lips nervously. He looks toward Baekhyun for emotional support. Unfortunately, the elder simply rolls his eyes at Chanyeol before mouthing  _ Get a grip _ .

 

As the taller waits for Jongin to finish paying, he begins to chant  _ You can do this _ in his mind as he prepares himself to not screw up their reunion.

 

“Sorry for the wait,” Jongin mumbles to the floor once he finishes his purchase.

 

“Don't be,” Chanyeol practically squeaks in reply.

 

Baekhyun unhelpfully laughs at the taller's reply before gesturing them to follow him.

 

Jongin seems to ignore Chanyeol as much as he can as he follows Baekhyun. He's possibly embarrassed from being too forward previously. Chanyeol feels like an idiot for ruining things at first meeting.

 

As they head towards Uniqlo’s doors, Jongin notices that the doors are starting to close once Baekhyun exits the store. The younger assumes that the doors are automatic so he expects it to open as he comes near. Unfortunately, it remains closed and Jongin frowns as he tries again, stepping backward and then forward.

 

It's the deep chuckle behind him that startles him as he looks behind him. He frowns at Chanyeol’s amused expression before noticing the taller’s arm going around him. He watches as Chanyeol raises his hand and taps a grey rectangle in the door.  _ Finally _ , the door starts to open, and Jongin gapes at the magical moment.

 

“The button means  _ Open _ ,” Chanyeol says as if he holds all the answers.

 

Jongin blushes deeply as he realizes his mistake before walking off in a rather fast fashion.

 

“Are you  _ sure _ that you're an engineer?” Baekhyun asks teasingly once the younger is nearby.

 

“Shut up!” Jongin tells him without stopping by the shorter male. 

 

After a while, he realizes that he has  _ no _ idea on where they're supposed to go.

 

So he stops after a moment, a pout sets on his lips as he waits for his friends to catch up.

 

It's the sight of Chanyeol's wide grin that makes Jongin’s heart skips a beat. It feels like they're back in the past, where the elder’s smiles always greet him.

 

“Don't worry about it. I had noob moments too,” Chanyeol reassures him.

 

Jongin looks away, though a small smile remains in his lips.

 

“You should tell him what happened in Starbucks,” Baekhyun teases.

 

Jongin’s eyes comically widens and Chanyeol laughs at his expression. He grins as Jongin warns Baekhyun to shut up.

 

“But you always tell me your embarrassing moments,” Chanyeol reminds the younger with a coy smile.

 

Jongin shakes his head, refusing to share this one. 

 

They head again towards the restaurant this time in a better mood.

  
  


***

 

“So, engineer, huh?” Chanyeol tries to make conversation when they're finally seated in the restaurant.

 

Baekhyun decides to go to a well known Indian restaurant, since he's apparently too bored of fish. Neither of them seem to mind the choice either.

 

“Yeah,” Jongin blushes a little as he stares back in Chanyeol's curious eyes. “I still like Physics, but this also gives me the opportunity to build things from scratch.”

 

“Yeah, I can totally see you as a civil engineer,” Chanyeol grins.

 

Baekhyun moans loudly as he stares at the image of mango lassi. Chanyeol glares at him judgingly despite the elder’s nonchalant attitude. Instead, Baekhyun smirks at them before noticing a rather pretty figure on the other end of the restaurant.

 

“Order me the chicken curry and the lassi,” he tells them before ditching his friends for the pretty girl.

 

“Has he been slapped yet?” Jongin asks curiously as he stares at Baekhyun's unabashedly flirting expressions.

 

“Possibly, but he never told me the exact moments,” Chanyeol admits once he thinks about it.

 

Jongin pouts at the thought of not being able to see Baekhyun in a vulnerable position yet. It only lasts a minute before he tries a conversation with Chanyeol.

 

“What about you? What did you major in?” Jongin asks.

 

“Architecture,” Chanyeol replies.

 

“Whoa, really? I thought you'd go for arts, or something more artistic.”

 

“Nah, not after seeing the average salary,” the taller jokes.

 

Jongin still laughs at his lame joke like old times, and there's a weird fuzzy feeling in Chanyeol's chest.

 

“But I'll probably end up getting paid more,” the younger teases.

 

“Good, you can pay for my dinner.”

 

“Hmm, and what do  _ I _ get in return?”

 

“Hmm,” Chanyeol pretends to think about it. “I can help you open doors?”

 

Jongin blushes momentarily before playfully kicking the taller in the shin. 

 

“That was  _ one _ time,” the younger sulks. “Are you ever going to let me forget it?”

 

“Of course,” Chanyeol says soothingly. “Once I get  _ another _ free dinner.”

 

“That's bullying. I thought you were the nice one.”

 

“Of course not,” this time Baekhyun replies. “It's always the quiet ones that are evil.”

 

“Of course, you would know,” Jongin concludes.

 

“He learned well from his master,” the elder confirms, pretending to wipe tears.

 

“How long are you in town?” Chanyeol asks, deciding to change the topic.

 

“Oh,” Jongin looks back towards Chanyeol. “I guess throughout the summer. My parents don't mind.”

 

“Oh, they're here too?”

 

“They live here now,” Jongin explains. “My dad got another job here.”

 

“It's  _ too _ bad that they're stationed in Tokyo instead,” Baekhyun comments. “Chanyeol is stuck  _ all _ the way in Nagoya.”

 

“Oh,” Jongin notes disappointedly.

 

“But I got a week! So we can catch up or something,” Chanyeol tries to remedy.

 

“Yeah…” Baekhyun adds unhelpfully. “Plus, didn't you want to find that stupid One Piece figure?” He asks towards Jongin.

 

“They're not stupid,” Jongin scowls deeply.

 

“Ignore him. He just never understood the significance of action figures.”

 

“Oh, but I  _ do _ understand that it's totally awesome for you geeks,” Baekhyun tells them sarcastically.

 

“Which one are you looking for?” Chanyeol asks, ignoring Baekhyun's comment.

 

“Oh,” Jongin takes out his phone excitedly before opening bookmarked page. “I wanted to get this figure but the forums said it's in a Mandarake store up North. So I'll have to travel there one day.”

 

He shows his phone to Chanyeol as the taller checks out the figure.

 

“Oh, that's a cool one. How far is the store from here?”

 

“Oh, um,” Jongin says unsurely before opening Google Maps.

 

“You know what, I think Chanyeol should go with you because let's face it, you'll get lost,” Baekhyun ends up telling them.

 

“I wouldn’t!” Jongin says indignantly. “I can use Google Maps and find my way around.”

 

“Oh, really? What's the name of the station near your parents’ place again?” Baekhyun asks teasingly despite his serious expression.

 

“Um, it's like Shin….something?” Jongin replies unsurely.

 

“Right,” Baekhyun judgingly replies before giving Chanyeol a look.

 

“It's fine,” Chanyeol laughs at both of them. “I’ll join you. It'll be like old times.”

 

Jongin blushes at that and looks shyly at Chanyeol.

 

“Yeah? You won't bully me like Baekhyun?” the younger teasingly asks.

 

“Well, maybe just a little,” he smiles reassuringly at Jongin.

 

***

 

They meet again after two days and Chanyeol is forced to find Jongin’s place since the younger can't be trusted with directions. He thinks it's alright, since he's beginning to get used to the atmosphere of Tokyo. Shinjuku is still a relatively large station, and sometimes Chanyeol  _ fears _ the multiple exits in the station, but he always manages to find the right exit to Jongin’s place.

 

It's a short five minutes walk from there as he passes by the familiar Uniqlo and a few other flashy stores. He's walking towards another street before he finds the right apartment building. It's a relatively new building according to Jongin as Chanyeol opens the entrance and looks for the right buzzer. He pressed the button, and waits to hear a reply or even a familiar sound.

 

After two minutes, he tries again after checking if he's buzzing the right apartment. Several seconds pass before he notices a familiar figure approaching the door. He smiles at Jongin as the younger opens the door for him.

 

“Sorry, I don't know how to buzz people yet,” the younger admits shyly.

 

“That's fine,” Chanyeol tells him as he steps inside the apartment complex.

 

“Um, I'm actually ready, but do you need to go up for something?” the younger asks.

 

Chanyeol shakes his head before gesturing the younger to exit first.

 

They walk side by side as Chanyeol leads them to Shinjuku Station at a rather slow pace.

 

“How was yesterday?” The elder asks randomly. “I don't know if you did anything cool…”

 

“Oh, nah, I didn't. I mostly stayed in,” the younger admits in embarrassment.

 

“Hmm,” Chanyeol notes as he remembers an old memory of Jongin being addicted to online games. “Playing that game still?”

 

“No! I don't play games anymore,” the younger pouts at the accusation.

 

“Not even Zelda?”

 

“That's different. Zelda is a masterpiece,” Jongin sticks his tongue out, causing the elder to laugh at the childish behavior.

 

They soon find themselves inside the terminal, and Jongin grabs onto the back of Chanyeol's backpack, wary of getting lost in the crowd. Fortunately, the elder stays close to him as they maneuver towards the Chuo Line. Chanyeol is the one that buys them the small train tickets, 160 yen each, before showing Jongin on how to use it. It's simply inserting the ticket into the thin hole of the machine as they passes the gate. Then, they need to take back the ticket when it comes out on the other end of the gate.

 

Chanyeol smiles encouragingly as Jongin tries for the first time and celebrates the accomplishment as if it's a big deal. The younger blushes at the compliment, but smiles at him nevertheless.

 

Soon after, Chanyeol leads them to the right train, making sure Jongin is still following behind him.

 

As they wait for the train to arrive, 9:38 as indicated on a small hanging sign, Jongin nudges his friend and sends him a small smile.

 

“Thanks for being patient,” he says rather shyly.

 

“I'm used to you,” the elder teases.

 

“Still, my university friends would have ditched me just to see if I'd be able to survive,” Jongin admits. “This is why I've always like you the most.”

 

Chanyeol thinks that sentence is too bittersweet for him, but he nods anyway, not wanting to ruin their moment.

 

The train arrives shortly after and it's a rather short ride to their destination. Chanyeol is still the one leading them towards the store before they stop in front of it momentarily. 

 

The elder lets Jongin walk in first as he's curious to watch the younger’s expression. He likes seeing Jongin gape at the multiple figures displayed in glass cabinets. There seems to be ten aisles in the stores, each designated for a specific type of action figures. Chanyeol was able to find some Gundams in one of those rows. Unfortunately, he didn't find the model he was looking for.

 

Still, he doesn't mind watching Jongin coo over the figures and wastes half of the day waiting for the younger to decide between two figures. For those who don’t collect, they'll never understand the importance of this decision. Fortunately, both are avid collectors so they're both patient enough to take their time.

 

When Jongin finally buys the figure, Chanyeol sighs in relief. The elder grins back at him before he suggests a place to eat at. Surprisingly, Jongin hasn't tried ramen yet, so Chanyeol makes it his mission to find a good ramen restaurant for them before the end of the summer.

 

***

 

The next day, they head for Akihabara to find Chanyeol's Gundam model. They pack light so their feet are ready for long walks as they head towards the area at 10 am. Jongin seems to be in a great mood as he talks incessantly about his university life, along with stories that comes up in his memory. Chanyeol listens to them with an understanding expression as he nods occasionally. It feels like old times again, where Jongin bares his soul and Chanyeol is falling in love all over again.

 

The elder isn't sure if he should take a step back from everything, as he remembers that Jongin will return to his life again in Canada soon. Plus, Chanyeol will be returning to Nagoya in a few days, too. It seems both are going against time if he thinks about it.

 

Yet, Chanyeol can't help but ignore the warning signs as he lets himself be pulled into the younger’s energy.

 

They first head towards another branch of Mandarake store. It's surprisingly a lot larger than the one in Nanako. The tall building has twelve floors and most customers use the side stairs to climb up to the top. Chanyeol would have done that if he wasn't allergic to physical exercise.

 

“Seriously, it's been years and you  _ still _ hate anything that involves exertion,” the younger teases.

 

“Hey, some guys are just  _ meant _ to be regular people. I'm not  _ you _ , I can't run 5km and look effortlessly cool after it,” Chanyeol whines in the end.

 

“Fine, you big baby. Use the elevator,” the younger sticks his tongue out before making a move towards the stairs.

 

Chanyeol keeps his back straight as if to signify that he's still manly. He waits nearby the elevator along with other lazy people.

 

Unsurprisingly, Jongin arrives on the twelfth floor before him, and Chanyeol ignores the smug smirk the younger sends towards him. Chanyeol doesn't need that bully’s help to find the Gundam collections — though, it's still embarrassing when Jongin ends up finding it first.

 

Despite the impressive collection, Chanyeol can't find the model he's looking for so he looks for Jongin again. He sees the younger staring intently at a large Gundam model. Chanyeol takes the opportunity to press his cold water bottle against the younger’s neck, and laughing loudly at Jongin’s scared yelp. 

 

The younger retaliates by dragging him to the stairs, refusing to let him exit using the elevator.

 

“But there are so many steps,” Chanyeol immediately whines.

 

Yet, Jongin is unrelenting as he pushes the elder to start descending. After a few more minutes of mindless arguing, Chanyeol pouts as he climbs down. Though, he still tries to escape whenever he sees the exit again on each floor.

 

By the time they reach the first floor, after a cruciating fifteen minutes, Jongin looks proud as Chanyeol heaves a heavy breath.

 

They head towards the next store, located close to Akihabara station, where models are also shown in glass cabinets. Chanyeol spends some time talking to the sales clerks while Jongin waits in the street. 

 

By the time Chanyeol is done, the elder finds Jongin squatting near a large sign. He laughs at the absurdity before squatting besides Jongin with a silly grin. Their silly behaviours remind Chanyeol of the first time they broke school rules. 

 

“Hey,” the elder greets him.

 

“Did you find it?” the younger smiles tiredly.

 

“No, but let's take a break. Where do you feel like going for lunch?”

 

“Well, there's this café I want to try, but it's a bit far from here,” Jongin admits.

 

“I don't mind,” Chanyeol tells him reassuringly.

 

“Okay, just don't complain when you have to walk a lot,” he teases before rising up slowly. He shakes off his legs a little as if to get rid the tiredness.

 

“Lift me up?” Chanyeol jokes as he looks up. He stills raises his arms as if Jongin is able to pull him up easily.

 

Despite that, the younger still makes an effort to tug on the elder's arms before calling him a fat ass. Jongin laughs at Chanyeol's unhappy expression before running away from the elder’s revenge.

 

They end up traveling to a café in Asakusa named Sekai Cafe. 

 

“You know, sekai was the nickname my friends used for me and Sehun. Kai was my nickname amongst my university friends, so they started calling us sekai whenever I was with Sehun,” Jongin tells him offhandedly.

 

“Ah,” Chanyeol notes. “Did you like him then?” 

 

“Ugh, no,” Jongin immediately denies. “He was like the fourth brother I never asked for.”

 

The elder laughs at that reason.

 

“But you know, sekai means ‘world’ in English, which means everyone is rooting for sekai,” Chanyeol teases.

 

“Nah, it's ‘world’ as in we're destined to be world's apart,” the younger corrects him. “Plus, I always imagined creating a unique couple name than stealing a word from the dictionary.”

 

“You could be with anyone you want then. As long as you could make a unique couple name,” the elder reasons.

 

“True,” the younger admits. “But it doesn't guarantee that the person will make me happy.”

 

Jongin shyly looks up to Chanyeol's gaze before looking down at his meal again. The elder seems to be taken back before his cheeks and neck start to feel warm under the scrutiny.

 

If someone were to ask later that night what he did, it was definitely  _ not  _ forming different combinations of his name with Jongin. Needless to say, Chanyeol thinks the best combination is JongChan, meanwhile Baekhyun unhelpfully comments that Sekai no Owari is a well known Japanese group. 

 

***

 

Chanyeol didn't expect to see Jongin again for the next few days, but the younger manages to insert himself into Chanyeol’s plans as they explore Tokyo in depth.

 

They made a quest on finding different flavors of kitkats, starting with the stores in Tokyo station. Jongin immediately frowns at the lack of choices before pestering Chanyeol to go to Odaiba with him. After all, there's also a large Gundam statue in that area, along with a Gundam store, and Chanyeol is still looking for his model. So, the elder relents and they head towards Odaiba after the brief stop in Tokyo Station. They manage to buy several kitkat flavors in Odaiba, but were unable to find Chanyeol's model.

 

They also went to Roppongi Hills, where they're able to find statues of doraemons. Chanyeol spends a considerable amount of time posing with the statues, forcing Jongin to take multiple shots. Then, when the younger is irritated, Chanyeol pulls him close and takes a selca of the two of them. The blush in Jongin’s cheeks remains noticeable for quite a while as Chanyeol teases the younger's dazed expression. Luckily, Chanyeol isn't around when Jongin chooses the picture as the wallpaper in their WhatsApp conversation.

 

After the photo session, Jongin drags Chanyeol to the best authentic Taiwan bubble tea in Tokyo, located close to Ebisu Station. Despite the ten minutes walk, Chanyeol doesn't complain as Jongin excitedly chatters about the kind of bubble tea he’d buy. By the time they enter the relatively small shop, Jongin is disappointed when he realizes that the different flavors are merely different teas they'd use, such as jasmine or oolong. It's unlike Canada, where they add artificial flavor, and then tapioca balls or seaweed jelly. Nevertheless, they order the jasmine and the oolong teas. When the teas arrive, Jongin prepares to take a picture, making sure to stick his tongue out as if mocking Sehun’s misery. Chanyeol doesn't seem to mind as he also poses to express how  _ amazing _ the tea is.

 

On another day, they explore Shibuya area. They take a picture as they stop in the middle of Shibuya crossing, ignoring the judging glares from passersby. Then they walk around the area, stopping by a large store that had One Piece flags hanging outside the store. Jongin soon finds out that the top floor contains a dedicated One Piece store. He's immediately excited as he explores the store, taking the time to pose for pictures at random places. Chanyeol ends up giggling at him when the younger decides to crawl through a small tunnel that was designated for small kids. Neither seems to care as others stare at them with curious looks.

 

***

 

It's the second to last day for Chanyeol’s trip when Jongin suddenly realizes that his friend will go back to Nagoya soon. He frowns at the thought of going back to distanced communication and the inability to hug the elder spontaneously. He sighs forlornly when he thinks about resorting to texting and calling the elder whenever he misses him. It's barely been ten days with Chanyeol, but Jongin is so used to the elder's presence.

 

He thinks about the past, when he told Chanyeol that they'd  _ always _ stay friends. It seemed that it was all a lie since he never  _ did _ made an effort to keep in touch. He doesn't know why it happened, whether it's laziness or something else, but he's worried that the past will repeat again. He doesn't want to lose Chanyeol again, not when the elder is back in his life again.

 

It's a heavy feeling in his heart when he thinks about what Chanyeol would say if he told him his fears. He wonders if the elder will soothe his fears or will he simply pretend to care? Jongin wouldn't blame him if there was only false sincerity. After all, the younger thinks he himself was a rather crappy friend. Chanyeol deserved someone like Baekhyun,  _ even if _ Baekhyun is considered a rather evil friend.

 

By the time they meet up for brunch on that day, Chanyeol immediately notices the frown on Jongin's lips. The elder seems to know on how to calm the younger as he wraps an arm around Jongin’s shoulder.

 

“What's wrong?” He asks worriedly.

 

Jongin thinks about lying to the elder, but seeing Chanyeol’s expression makes him hesitant on that idea.

 

“It's just,” the younger starts to say before looking away from Chanyeol's eyes. “You're leaving soon.”

 

“Oh,” the elder comments.

 

There seems to be a long silence before Jongin feels anxious enough to end the awkward moment.

 

“But it's fine. I'll just miss you a lot once you're gone,” the younger reasons before making a move to walk ahead.

 

Chanyeol grabs his wrist before pulling Jongin closer to his side.

 

“I'd miss you too,” he softly confesses. “I wish I could stay longer to accompany you around Tokyo.”

 

“It’s okay. I wouldn't want you to skip work for me,” the younger shyly smiles.

 

“We'll keep in touch, right?” Chanyeol asks, almost sounding unsure of his expectation.

 

“Yes! This time it'll be better,” Jongin promises for both of them.

 

“And you're always welcomed to visit me in Nagoya. It's a rather boring town though,” the elder jokes.

 

“You’ll probably regret it when I keep visiting you every weekend,” the younger teases.

 

“Nah, I'd love to see you that often,” Chanyeol says sincerely.

 

The grin in Jongin's face is wide as his mood returns back to happiness. Chanyeol takes the opportunity to pull him into a tight hug. 

 

***

 

Chanyeol greets Jongin warmly when the younger decides to visit the him in Nagoya the next weekend. Despite having seen each other so often, Chanyeol doesn't get bored of entertaining Jongin’s naivety and there's always loud laughter between them.

 

Surprisingly, Jongin fits better with Nagoya’s atmosphere as he finds himself having a better sense of direction here. He thinks it's because he's starting to get used to Japan’s environment, while Chanyeol thinks it's because Nagoya is a smaller city. They don't argue about it though, since Chanyeol is too busy grinning at Jongin's lovestruck expression once the younger is introduced to Nagoya fried wings. Of course, the elder ends up regretting it since Jongin would rather keep eating those than try anything else.

 

On the last weekend of August, Jongin begs Chanyeol to come to his family's dinner event. He doesn't want to suffer alone so Chanyeol agrees for his friend’s sake. 

 

This time, Jongin was the one who picks up Chanyeol by the gates and the younger doesn't get lost anymore as he leads them back to the apartment.

 

“Already a pro now. Soon, you won't need me guiding you anymore,” Chanyeol teases.

 

“Only in Shinjuku,” the younger admits. “Anywhere else, I'd still get lost.”

 

As Chanyeol follows his friend, he suddenly wonders if Jongin’s vacation will come to an end soon. Summer is actually approaching to an end in a few days and they still haven't talked about keeping in touch. He doesn't know if this is a temporary friendship or if Jongin is actually serious about keeping in touch. He thinks either choice is awful. He wants to always have Jongin besides him, and he hates that Jongin will most likely leave him.

 

He sighs internally and forces a small smile before they enter Jongin’s place. He shoves those depressing thoughts in the back of his mind as he prepares himself to look happy in front of guests. They're immediately greeted by Minseok, and Chanyeol is suddenly wary of being welcomed here.

 

“Huh, and I thought you guys stopped being friends,” Minseok comments as he glares at Chanyeol.

 

“We were, but that was my fault,” Jongin immediately defends his friend. “Don't bully him.”

 

“Bully him?” Minseok asks in amused tone. “Of course not. Chanyeol and I are great friends. In fact, let's catch up.”

 

There's a strict tone in Minseok’s voice that makes Chanyeol obey like a good puppy. Jongin doesn't like it though as he looks towards Chanyeol, checking to see if his friend is fine.

 

“I'll be fine,” the taller whispers and squeezes Jongin’s shoulder before following Minseok to his possible doom.

 

Jongin can only pout miserably before heading towards the living room area where everyone else is at. 

 

“Good boy! You made it home by yourself,” Jongdae immediately teases. Jongin retaliates with a half effort kick. 

 

“Shhh, I'm trying to listen,” Joonmyeon tells them in a harsh tone as he watches the movie in the screen.

 

It's one of those old movies where it's black and white, and anyone else would fall asleep by the 15 minutes mark. No one else understands Joonmyeon’s likes besides his model girlfriend.

 

“I can't believe that you like this shit and you  _ still _ have that hot model as your girlfriend,” Jongdae comments.

 

Joonmyeon kicks his younger brother in the shin for distracting his attention.

 

“She's soon to be  _ your _ sister in law,” Joonmyeon reminds them haughtily.

 

“ _ Seriously, _ he  _ cries _ during sex. How is she  _ not _ turned off?” Jongdae whispers conspiracies to Jongin.

 

“I bet it's the money,” the younger concludes.

 

“You’re right,” Jongdae snaps his fingers in agreement.

 

Joonmyeon seems to take offense to their statements as he scowls. He still gets insecure at times because Ying Fan is extremely beautiful and she could be dating someone as tall as her. Yet, she always claim that Joonmyeon makes her extremely happy. 

 

“What about  _ your _ girlfriend? I bet she's only in it for the sex,” Joonmyeon shoots back.

 

“So what? I'm not planning to marry her,” Jongdae tells him.

 

Joonmyeon curses himself for losing the argument. Jongin seems to be the only one who finds the bickering to be entertaining.

 

“I'm here!” A familiar voice yelled out from the entrance and Jongin groans at the idea of seeing Baekhyun again.

 

“Where are my pretty ladies at?” Baekhyun immediately asks, ignoring everyone else's presences as he strolls in.

 

“Who invited you?” Jongin glares at him.

 

“Your brother did. He wanted to show off his newest catch.”

 

“They're human beings. Stop degrading them,” Joonmyeon automatically defends the girls.

 

Baekhyun doesn't seem to be listening as he follows Jongdae to the kitchen, possibly to introduce him to his girlfriend.

 

Jongin makes a disgusted expression once he hears a rather loud squeal. There's some type of argument that can be heard in the kitchen before an extremely tall girl exits it.

 

Jongin stares in surprise as the girl smiles sillily at his brother before sitting down on his lap. He foresees them doing gross couple moments so he immediately escapes before he has to endure the sight.

 

Jongin finds Chanyeol soon after, relatively unscathed from his conversation with Minseok. He pulls his friend into his room, ignoring Minseok’s warning looks before closing the door.

 

“I thought you don't want your brother to hurt me,” Chanyeol jokes.

 

“He won't. We're just going to play some games while we wait for my parents to return.”

 

“Ah, Zelda?” A knowing glint is in the elder’s eyes.

 

“Nope. It's Super Mario Brothers. I want that rematch you promised years ago.”

 

It's not supposed to be a fair fight, since Chanyeol hasn't played the game in years. Yet, Jongin finds himself losing in the second round and he can't help but whine at the unfairness. Chanyeol seems to not care as he beats the younger's ass without feeling guilty.

 

Though their matches had to be paused once the food arrives along with Jongin’s parents. Chanyeol receives a rather warm welcome from his parents. It's only Jongin’s brothers that like to test Chanyeol’s limits. Chanyeol can still remember the day he was dared to try vinegar, to show that he was willing to do anything for Jongin. The younger has always felt bad about his brothers’ bullying.

 

As they sit on the floor together while enjoying the food, Jongin takes the opportunity to sit besides Chanyeol, where half of his leg is on top Chanyeol's lap. Jongin doesn't seem to notice the looks Baekhyun sends towards Chanyeol nor the worried expression on Minseok’s face. The younger is too preoccupied with talking to his future sister in law.

 

It's only when Chanyeol decides to leave him momentarily that Jongin realizes the lack of warmth on his side. He frowns as he waits for Chanyeol to return again.

 

“So,” Baekhyun decides to sit besides him. “How long before you run off to Canada again?”

 

The question catches him off guard as Jongin speechlessly thinks of a right answer.

 

“I don't know yet. I wanted to find work first before returning back.”

 

“Right, and  _ when _ will you tell Chanyeol about your plans? Or are you just giving him false hope again?”

 

Jongin stares back at him in surprise at the malice tone. He seemed to have forgotten that Baekhyun is Chanyeol's friend,  _ not _ his. Of course, the elder will be defensive if Jongin played with Chanyeol's feelings.

 

“I wasn't trying to do that. We just haven't talked about the future yet,” Jongin tells him in an anxious tone. 

 

“I know,” the elder replies softly. “I just don't want to see him hurt again.”

 

“You told me that he wasn't mad. You said that he was okay.”

 

“Of course he's okay, but it doesn't mean he was ever happy. He was only happy with you, and sometimes I don't think you realize how much you mean to him.”

 

“Did losing his best friend hurt him that much?” Jongin whispers sadly.

 

“But you weren't just his best friend,” Baekhyun corrects him.

 

“What?” Jongin asks confusedly.

 

“You haven't been his best friend for the longest time. Haven’t you noticed?”

 

Jongin doesn't quite know on what the elder means. He's still frowning even when Chanyeol returns to his side, and there's a questioning gaze on the taller’s eyes.

  
  


***

 

The crowd is relatively small in the Imperial Palace on a Sunday afternoon. It’s mostly due to Jongin’s request as the younger naively wish to see a royal person one day, though he finds disappointment once he figures out that there’s no chance of seeing them in public areas. Nevertheless, he takes the time to appreciate the beauty of the gardens and the trees as they walk around the vast area. 

 

Near the old tea house, there’s a paved path that breaks into two paths. One path leads to a wooden bridge where Jongin is able to see a small river that leads into a lake. The river edges are lined with bamboos and somehow it creates an authentic feeling of the past. Another path leads to a pond with koi fishes, and Jongin takes the time to walk closer to the edge. He squats down and smiles warmly at the fishes as they swim freely across the small pond.

 

He turns around to tell Chanyeol to come closer, and notices that the elder is taking pictures without his knowledge. 

 

“You’re deleting any pictures that has me in it,” Jongin warns the elder.

 

“It’s a good thing my phone does automatic backup,” Chanyeol teases before pocketing his phone.

 

“What if they look completely horrible and you post them without my knowledge? That’s not fair, you know,” the younger argues. “I’d  _ never _ do that to you.”

 

“I don’t really post them. I just keep them for memories,” Chanyeol reasons. “I even kept the ones we took from high school.”

 

“But they were all taken from cameras. You’d need to convert some of them into digital.”

 

“I know, but I couldn’t just throw them out,” the elder chuckles.

 

Jongin stares at him intently as he processes the information. He never realizes that Chanyeol finds their time to be  _ that _ special. He suddenly remembers last night conversation, and he wonders if Chanyeol would tell him the truth if he asked.

 

“What is it?” the elder asks, as if he knows there are uncertain thoughts in Jongin’s mind.

 

“I was just thinking about us,” the younger starts to say. “I’ll have to return to Canada one day.”

 

“I know,” Chanyeol confirms as if he already expects this news.

 

“Will you be okay?”

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

 

“Because you’d miss me, won’t you?” the younger asks curiously.

 

“Of course, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be okay,” Chanyeol chuckles as he stares back deeply into Jongin’s eyes.

 

The younger looks back into those familiar eyes, and he always sees it, the amount of love Chanyeol has for him. So what  _ did _ Baekhyun mean? There was nothing different about how Chanyeol sees him, and Jongin doesn’t think he’s looking at Chanyeol differently either. Except, maybe Baekhyun is telling him to look again, this time from another distance.

 

Chanyeol’s warm hand rests on Jongin’s arm, and there’s a gentle sensation as the elder tries to put some warmth into Jongin’s arm. There’s always the noticeable scent of Chanyeol’s cologne as the elder pulls the younger closer, as if he’s always protecting Jongin from something. And then there’s that  _ sound _ that Chanyeol makes whenever he burrows his face against Jongin’s hair. The younger is still unsure if the conclusion he reached is the right one.

  
  


***

 

At night time, Chanyeol brings him to Tokyo City View, one of the best places to see Tokyo from up high. There’s an elevator that takes them up to the roof and there’s already a few tourists waiting for the sun to set. Jongin seems to be excited seeing the view as he rocks his feet against the paved ground. Chanyeol guides him to one of the seating areas where they’ll need to wait for another 30 minutes before sunset.

 

Jongin sits closer to the elder’s side once the winds start to pick up, a contrast to how hot it was hours ago. Chanyeol doesn’t seem to mind as he wraps an arm around the younger and pulls him closer.

 

There’s a comfortable silence as they share warmth and Chanyeol can’t help but think about the amount of time they have left. It’s not long before Jongin will probably need to find a job, and Chanyeol will end up alone again in Japan. He still doesn’t know what the younger thinks of him, and he doesn’t know if Jongin will want to keep in touch. He looks down at the tranquility in Jongin’s expression, and he wonders if he’s ruining the evening if he brings up the topic.

 

“What?” the younger mutters, feeling unnerved by the constant staring.

 

“Nothing,” the elder looks away.

 

“Tell me,” the younger insists as he nudges Chanyeol’s side.

 

Another moment of silence passes by between them before Chanyeol says what’s on his mind.

 

“I don’t want this to end once you go back,” the elder says softly. “I know it was tough keeping in touch during school, and I don’t know how hard it’ll be now.”

 

“I think it’ll be different this time,” the younger defends himself. “I don’t think I’ve tried my best back then, and I don’t want to repeat the same mistake.”

 

“Yeah?” Chanyeol comments in a hopeful tone. “Because I’m  _ fine _ if this is all you wanted out of us. It’s alright if you don’t want to stay friends after this. I’d rather have you say that than not mean your words.”

 

“Don’t say that,” Jongin whispers in a hurt tone. “I don’t want this to end either. I don’t want to give up when we haven’t tried yet.”

 

The younger looks up to Chanyeol’s vulnerable gaze. He thinks that Chanyeol is too  _ good _ to be forgotten so easily. He takes the elder’s warm hand into his cold palm, and despite the contrast, he thinks they complement each other.

 

“Okay,” the elder whispers back, feeling more emotional than before.

 

Jongin smiles sadly at Chanyeol’s expression before pulling the elder up from their seats. The sunset starts to descend behind them and the crowd seems distracted by the sight. 

 

Chanyeol leads them to the edge, where most people are taking pictures of the view. He wraps an arm around the younger’s waist before pulling him closer to his body. Jongin looks up to the elder’s intense stare before reaching up to brush stray hairs away, concentrating deeply on the task.

 

“Take a picture with me,” Chanyeol tells him, and Jongin nods as he lets the elder move him into the right place.

 

He doesn’t expect Chanyeol to slyly kiss his cheek when he’s not paying attention for the picture that Chanyeol took during that kiss.

 

It doesn’t matter though. Jongin’s favorite is the one where Chanyeol leans in close enough to brush his lips against the younger. It’s the anticipation that keeps him in a standstill.

 

 

 

**Offscreen #1**

 

Jongin fidgets with the bow tie on his neck. He’s 90% sure that it’s crooked, while the other 10% is possibly just his nerves playing with him. He sighs in frustration at another failed attempt before giving up and walking out of the dressing room. He searches for the only person who seems to wear ties on a daily basis.

 

He finds the group of groomsmen sitting around a rectangle table, possibly continuing their poker game from the night before. 

 

“Where’s Minseok?” Jongin asks them, before zooming his eyes into a pair of panties being auctioned in the middle of the table. “Are those  _ used _ panties?”

 

“Feel free to sniff them,” Baekhyun comments.

 

It’s the evil glint on Jongdae’s eye that forces Jongin to forget about it.

 

“I think he’s busy dosing Joonmyeon’s drink with Xanax,” Moonkyu tells him, bless his kind heart.

 

Jongin exits the room before one of them tries to take his watch off his wrist. He wouldn’t put it past them, especially Jongdae.

 

It’s an easy task to find Joonmyeon since the elder isn’t allowed to exit his dressing room until it’s time. Jongin doesn’t need to knock on the door as he pushes in, immediately finding Minseok standing behind Joonmyeon’s wrecked body. It seems the groom is anxious to get the ceremony started already.

 

“I messed up my tie,” Jongin simply tells Minseok.

 

The elder sighs before he gestures Jongin to come closer.

 

“You’re almost 24. You need to learn how to do this one day.” Minseok likes to scold him whenever he can.

 

“But you  _ like _ being needed,” Jongin reminds him innocently.

 

“Go and make sure everyone is ready,” Minseok tells him in annoyed tone.

 

“Wait,” Joonmyeon grabs his wrist. “Can you check if she’s okay?”

 

Jongin rolls his eyes, already knowing the  _ real _ reason. After all, there’s an ongoing bet if Ying Fan will run, or reveal herself to be pregnant. Jongin acknowledges that the Kim family aren’t exactly decent people.

 

Plus, if he has to be truthful, he’s rather selfish as he forgoes helping his brothers. Instead, he heads towards the ballroom where the guests are amiably chatting. He sees a familiar face amongst the crowd and slips in between the person talking to his boyfriend.

 

“Hey,” Chanyeol greets him with a warm smile.

 

Jongin thinks he’ll never get used to the sincerity behind the elder’s actions.

 

He grabs Chanyeol’s arm and pulls him away from the crowd. He makes them stand in a somewhat secluded corner before he pulls the taller down for a quick kiss.

 

There’s always a disbelief expression in Chanyeol’s face whenever Jongin makes the first move. He doesn’t blame the elder, not when he himself is insecure about this relationship, but that’s okay. They’re both taking it one day at a time.

 

“I’m giving you permission to fall asleep during the ceremony,” the younger tells him in a serious tone. “Which means you can’t fall asleep on me tonight.”

 

“You know that I can’t guarantee that,” the elder laughs, despite feeling guilty for being too jetlagged.

 

“Then drink some coffee,” Jongin demands before quickly pecking Chanyeol’s lips again. “You promised me a night.”

 

Chanyeol gulps at those words, recalling the nights where he promised some explicit things. Suddenly, he’s not so sure if he can still carry out those promises.

 

Yet, his body seems to think he can do it as he feels himself getting turned on by the idea.

 

Jongin seems to know what he’s thinking though as he pulls the elder in for another kiss. His cool hands travels up to Chanyeol’s neck, pressing against the right muscle to cause Chanyeol to groan loudly. The younger pulls away abruptly after that, giving the elder a coy smile before walking away with a sway on his hips.

 

Chanyeol feels extremely screwed as he uses a tiny pamphlet to cover his hard on before walking towards his seat again. 

**Author's Note:**

> A few things that you may not know:
> 
> GF stands for Green Frappe. Starbucks in Japan like to abbreviate the order's names.
> 
> 말도 안 돼 말도 안 돼 -- taken from SNSD's I Got A Boy. It means 'No way! No way!'. It's Baekhyun's way of saying 'yeah right'.
> 
> I may have missed some other references. I'll update in future if someone asks.
> 
> If you're ever in Tokyo, Shinjuku would take at least 2 days to explore. I only wish I had that much time. But after about a week in Tokyo, I was able to go through all of the places I mentioned above, including Ueno, Asakusa, Harajuku and many more. Remember to always wear running shoes and use a backpack if you're planning on coming to Japan. We walk a lot in a day to day basis, and for some reason, chairs can be non existent in public areas.


End file.
